Legalization of Marijuana in Australia

“The criminalization of marijuana does not stop its use therefore it should be legalized”. So should marijuana be legal? Two factors have been fighting on this issue for many years: people who say marijuana should be legal and others who are fighting to keep it illegal. Many debates have been had over this issue for many years.

Marijuana consists of a mixture of leaves, stems and tops of the “Cannabis sativa plant”, or hemp plant. Marijuana is also known as grass, pot, tea, or weed. “Both male and female plants contain psychoactive substances called “cannabinoids”. The ingredient in marijuana that produces most of the psychological and physiological effects is 1-delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol or THC” (taken from: http://cannabisnews.com/news/14/thread 148 29.shtml). Marijuana generally produces changes in mood, mental abilities, coordination, blood pressure, and pulse. These physiological factors result in a "high," including euphoria, relaxation and sleepiness.

Marijuana has been used throughout history; marijuana has been used to serve various purposes in many different cultures. The purposes have changed over time to fit in with the current lifestyles. The use of marijuana has adapted to the sociality of the time.

Marijuana potentially has many health benefits. Marijuana holds the promise of being a treatment for glaucoma (eye blindness), chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS, among many others. As well, the side effects of marijuana use, which include hunger and red eyes, are beneficial. The “munchies” (hunger) allow cancer and AIDS patients to eat without becoming nauseous. The red eyes are a sign of “vascular dilation” which means marijuana could relieve migraine headaches.

Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug, which means that the drug has no currently accepted medical use as a treatment. This restricts any research or experimentation to be made with marijuana. Many doctors and researchers have asked and suggested that marijuana be...